MCTA Horse Trials, Inc

Maryland Combined Training Association
MCTA Horse Trials, Inc.
This is the only photo we can find from the very first
MCTA Horse Trials, held at the Richard N. Jackson
family’s Jackson Hole Farm in Upperco on June 18,
1972. It shows Mardi Frey, a recent graduate of Lake
Erie College where she had done a little eventing, on
“Possum,” whose name was upgraded to Poker Stakes
(he’d reputedly once been won in a game) for the
occasion. Long-time horsewoman and owner Mrs.
Wallace P. Neilson entered him simply to support the
new organization, of which her daughter Jane and
Mardi’s sister Ruth were founding members. He did
manage an 8th place ribbon though!
Jane Neilson photo
An iconic photo from early “Jackson Hole” events was the
jumping-off-the-edge-of-the-world view of a drop fence on
the Training course. This one of Ruth Frey and *Denegri
was taken in 1978.
E. Presnekoff photo
The Flower Stand (left) and the
Steps (right, a “skinny” before that
term had even come into use) were two of
original course designer/builder Ann McKay’s
masterpieces, shown here in 1981with Ruth
Frey on Sunrock Ridge.
Dana Bright photo
After a decade of Jackson Hole’s first water jump being
alternatively washed out by a storm the night before the event or
being entirely water-less due to dry weather, farm owner Sheila
Jackson very generously donated a proper splash. However, as the
classic shot on the far right shows, not everyone thought this was a
good idea!
Cappy Jackson photos
In 1990 a rebuilt water jump posed no such problems for Jamie Maher and Widow’s Walk, even though this was the
very first time the mare had been asked to jump into water!
Cappy Jackson photos
By 1984 the Dolly Parton Option
(named by then-organizer Shockey
Gillet) had become a signature
obstacle on the Training and
Preliminary courses at Jackson Hole.
Here Ami Howard and her homebred
Quaker Anne are taking the direct
route on the Prelim course.
Sherry Schnepfe photo
The sine qua non of eventing, jump judges Jennifer
Delgarno and Ann McCarty waved at photographer
Cappy Jackson as she snapped their picture on her home
farm during the 1985 Jackson Hole event.
Cappy Jackson photo
During the last decades of the 20th century and the first few years of the 21st, eventers continued to flock to Jackson
Hole Farm in Upperco each spring as the MCTA Horse Trials enjoyed a reputation as one of the top events on the
East Coast.
A top Young Rider of the 80s and 90s, Lida Thompson’s
name is on many of MCTA’s perpetual trophies—
including the Robin Stemler Memorial, the first to be
offered at the MCTA Horse Trials. Here she is riding
Sultan, 3 times MCTA Horse of the Year.
Dana Bright, who would later serve as MCTA’s
president in 1989 and 1990, rode Arctic Fudge
(“Stucky”) at both the Training and Preliminary
levels at Jackson Hole. This photo is from 1980,
the year they won the high score Training level
trophy.
Due to huge numbers of entries stadium often ran late at Jackson Hole but the crowds stayed
on, as can be seen in this amazing photo.
Cappy Jackson photos
Two of the more formidable obstacles on later Preliminary courses at Jackson Hole.
Cappy Jackson photos
Over the years fashions changed for both riders and horses . . .
Juniors head for the Training course in the days of
pom pom helmet covers.
One year horses wore steeplechase-type numbered
saddle cloths.
Cappy Jackson photos
. . . and fence building advanced significantly as well.
Cappy Jackson photo
Susan Sexton photo
U.H.Dice photo
Jamie Maher has had perhaps the longest continuous eventing career of any MCTA member, having begun as a
Pony Clubber before the organization was even founded. The Training Level fences she jumped over the years at
Jackson Hole clearly show these improvements. (At the left she rides her large pony Crossroads in 1976, in the
center she is on Widow’s Walk in 1990, and at right it’s Dylan the Double in 2000.)
After 31 years at Jackson Hole, the MCTA Horse Trials, Inc. moved to the newly developed venue of Shawan
Downs in 2003. A Novice division was immediately added to the usual Training and Preliminary ones, and three
years later Intermediate and Advanced divisions were held for the first time. MCTA public relations chair Leslie
Bertram was on hand with her camera in May of 2006 to record this giant step forward for the association:
Course designer David O’Connor
explaining the brand new water
jump during the course tour.
Course builder Dave Wisner
was a busy man in 2006.
Husband-of-the-organizer Nate Dunsmore
lent a hand with course decoration.
Leslie arranged for TV news coverage, and Julia Wendell (background, right) made a very early morning
appearance for the cameras. At left, course builder Dave Wisner is being interviewed for the morning news.
A Friday evening party and hay wagon ride gave donors and volunteers a delightful preview of the new courses.
Leslie Bertram photos
From 2006 through 2008 the event at Shawan Downs included a
Young Event Horse competition for 4- and 5-year-olds that were
shown in hand as well as on the flat in a simple dressage test and
over fences on a combined stadium and cross country course. Coorganizer Linda Reynolds is judging conformation here.
The new A and I divisions did
dressage and stadium on
Friday, followed by cross
country on Saturday.
Leslie Bertram photos
In 2007 the Advanced division was run as an International CIC***, which occasioned even more elaborate course
decorating by Walter Reynolds, not to mention a dinner party in a tent big enough to accommodate Olympic gold
medalist David O’Connor demonstrating flying changes and even jumping!
Key folks at Shawan Downs in the early 21st century: Linda Reynolds, co-organizer; Brenda Herzog, cross
country steward; Walter Reynolds, course decorator; Maria Wisner, secretary; Dave Wisner, course builder;
Janene Gerling-Dunsmore, co-organizer.
Leslie Bertram photos
Regardless of the year or venue, major
plans for MCTA’s annual horse trials
are made in meetings of the organizing
committee. Here hashing out details
for the 40th anniversary edition at a
favorite haunt, Wegman’s in Hunt
Valley, are (clockwise from lower left)
secretary Melissa Fieldhouse, coorganizer Ami Howard, publicity
manager Leslie Bertram, MCTA
president Chris Donovan, stadium
steward Kerry Foster, safety officer
Jamie Maher, organizer Patti Fenwick,
and assistant secretary Cheryl Toms.
Collectively the folks around this table
probably represent several thousand
years of volunteering on behalf of
MCTA!